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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. land — to come down
  5. kid — to tease
  6. toast — bread
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — child
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. ball — a great time
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. toast — the most admired
  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