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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rock — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. current — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. current — happening now
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. charge — in control
  24. wake — before a funeral

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