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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. track — a song
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — letters
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — magic
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. current — of water
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bear — 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