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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — of water
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. current — happening now
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. row — a line
  10. current — electric
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. drill — the tool
  19. tube — the underground
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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