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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — a trail
  13. craft — boats
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pound — a weight

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