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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. last — finally
  7. shower — rain
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. last — to go on
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. content — the amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — electric
  15. last — final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. current — happening now
  18. shower — to wash
  19. current — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. content — happy
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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