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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fall — the season
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mine — for digging
  12. current — electric
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fall — to drop
  15. current — of water
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fall — to drop
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. spring — the season
  22. current — happening now
  23. spring — of water
  24. ball — a dance

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