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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: can · mine · fan · bear · current · mouse · plane · lean

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. current — electric
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. can — a tin
  16. current — of water
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. current — happening now
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bear — the animal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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