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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mark — a trace
  4. current — of water
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. current — happening now
  9. mark — a grade
  10. net — for catching
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mate — a partner
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. current — electric
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fan — to cool the air

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