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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cold — not warm
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — a break
  6. pop — music
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — electric
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rest — what's left
  13. current — happening now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pop — soda
  18. charge — a price
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — in control
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cold — an illness

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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