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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — of water
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mark — a trace
  16. current — electric
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hand — help
  21. charge — in control
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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