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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.

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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: fine · deal · roll · pitcher · current · fall · season · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. season — of the year
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. season — in sport
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. roll — a list
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fall — the season

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