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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. current — happening now
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mark — a trace
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. charge — in control
  17. current — electric
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mark — a grade
  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