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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. suit — in cards
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. current — electric
  7. file — a tool
  8. sharp — clever
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — for catching
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. net — after costs
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. net — in sport
  18. current — happening now
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. craft — boats
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. current — of water

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