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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. file — a tool
  4. mate — a friend
  5. spell — a short time
  6. current — happening now
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. spell — letters
  11. club — for dancing
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. club — for golf
  15. spell — magic
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. file — a document
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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