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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fall — the season
  3. current — of water
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stock — goods
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mark — a grade
  9. clip — to cut
  10. charge — a price
  11. clip — a video
  12. charge — in control
  13. current — happening now
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — shares
  24. current — electric

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