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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.

Words on the sheet
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — a container
  6. game — wild animals
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — electric
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. staff — a stick
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. staff — employees
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. game — a match
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now

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