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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · current · cap · toast · mine · mouse · snap · deal

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cap — of ice
  3. net — in sport
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — happening now
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. net — for catching
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. net — after costs
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. current — of water
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cap — a hat
  23. toast — bread
  24. cap — a lid

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