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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. perch — the fish
  4. spring — the season
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — happening now
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spring — a coil
  12. charge — electricity
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — of water
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — electric
  19. charge — in control
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. spring — of water
  23. charge — a price
  24. pass — to succeed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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