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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 116 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
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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: current · last · saw · bear · nail · stock · spring · mouse

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. saw — the tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. last — finally
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — final
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. spring — of water
  20. last — to go on
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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