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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fall — the season
  7. current — electric
  8. board — a committee
  9. fall — to drop
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a friend
  14. band — a music group
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. band — a ring
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. current — happening now
  24. board — to get on

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