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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — of water
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — electric
  9. rest — what's left
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — a break
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — a face
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mug — to rob
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rest — what's left

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