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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: march · current · mark · mouse · saw · date · rash · bowl

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. date — the fruit
  9. current — of water
  10. mark — a grade
  11. march — music
  12. rash — a series
  13. current — happening now
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. march — the month
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. current — electric
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. march — the month
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rash — hasty
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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