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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. land — to come down
  3. face — part of the head
  4. charge — electricity
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — electric
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. face — to confront
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. land — ground
  14. current — of water
  15. land — a country
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bass — low music
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. current — happening now
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. charge — in control

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