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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. land — a country
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — electric
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. current — of water
  18. pitch — a sports field

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