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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 116 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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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — a face
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. mug — to rob
  16. field — farmland
  17. band — a ring
  18. deal — an agreement

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