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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. current — electric
  21. season — in sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. current — happening now
  24. season — of the year

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