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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: mate · stand · mouse · prune · stick · current · drill · tube

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — to bear
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. drill — army training
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. drill — a practice
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. current — of water
  23. tube — a container
  24. mouse — the animal

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