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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: date · kid · bowl · current · tube · mouse · fine · scale

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — a container
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — in music
  9. kid — child
  10. fine — high quality
  11. tube — the underground
  12. current — happening now
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fine — all right
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. current — of water

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