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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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — of water
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ground — the earth
  23. current — happening now
  24. pass — to spend time

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