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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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