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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — of water
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — electric
  17. bat — the animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bat — for baseball

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