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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — electric
  5. content — the amount
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. band — a music group
  10. game — a match
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — happening now
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. current — of water
  20. content — happy
  21. band — a ring
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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