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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. file — a tool
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bat — the animal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. current — happening now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. current — of water

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