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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. deal — to handle
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. mug — to rob
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. current — electric
  16. ball — a dance
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — a face

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