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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
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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: mouse · firm · pop · date · pitcher · game · current · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. game — wild animals
  7. firm — a company
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pop — music
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pop — soda
  12. firm — steady
  13. date — the fruit
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. current — electric
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — decided
  23. game — a match
  24. pitcher — a jug

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