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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 120 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: mouse · kid · wound · leaves · stand · current · season · mug

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. current — of water
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mug — to rob
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. current — electric
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — child
  22. season — of the year
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. current — happening now

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