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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · rash · nail · spell · hide · mouse · current · board

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. current — happening now
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rash — a series
  12. board — a committee
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. current — electric
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. spell — magic
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — of water
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com