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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. current — electric
  3. present — there
  4. charge — in control
  5. current — of water
  6. present — a gift
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — a price
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rash — hasty
  15. kid — to tease
  16. sharp — clever
  17. current — happening now
  18. rash — a series
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mark — a grade
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. kid — child
  24. sharp — exactly

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