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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mug — a face
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. current — electric
  6. mug — a cup
  7. current — happening now
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — of water
  15. content — happy
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. content — the amount
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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