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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ground — crushed
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — of water
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mug — a cup
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — a position
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mine — for digging
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. current — electric
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. current — happening now

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