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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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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. current — happening now
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — clothes
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — in control
  8. mine — for digging
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. current — of water
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. net — in sport
  14. current — electric
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. saw — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. net — after costs

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