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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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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — happening now
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. swing — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — a price
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bank — of a river
  18. charge — in control
  19. mate — a partner
  20. charge — electricity
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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