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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wind — moving air
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. swing — music
  14. pop — music
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wind — moving air
  19. kick — in football
  20. swing — to play on
  21. board — a committee
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. swing — in golf
  24. charge — a price

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