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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. track — a path
  6. staff — employees
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. track — to keep track
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. march — the month
  13. current — electric
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a song
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. current — happening now
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — of water
  24. staff — a stick

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