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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: bat · wave · craft · cap · current · mouse · hand · mate

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cap — of ice
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hand — help
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. current — of water
  12. mate — a partner
  13. craft — boats
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. current — electric
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. current — happening now
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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