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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bulb · snap · temple · mate · pound · current · sharp · nail

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mate — a partner
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — of water
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. temple — a place of worship

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