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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. track — a song
  4. lean — thin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. land — ground
  11. current — electric
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. current — of water
  18. charge — a price
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fine — high quality
  21. track — a path
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — happening now
  24. track — to keep track

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