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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. perch — the fish
  3. charge — a price
  4. current — happening now
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pop — music
  7. current — electric
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ground — a position
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ground — the earth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — soda
  20. craft — boats
  21. charge — in control
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ground — crushed
  24. arm — part of the body

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