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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. plane — a tool
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. kick — in football
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. current — happening now
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stock — goods
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. land — ground
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stock — a soup base

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