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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — wild animals
  3. march — music
  4. current — of water
  5. net — for catching
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ball — a dance
  8. net — in sport
  9. press — to push
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — after costs
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. march — the month
  17. press — newspapers
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. game — a match
  21. can — a tin
  22. current — electric
  23. press — a publisher
  24. march — the month

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