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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. charge — a price
  3. file — a tool
  4. current — happening now
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — to come down
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — electricity
  9. object — a thing
  10. file — a document
  11. track — a song
  12. land — a country
  13. current — of water
  14. object — an aim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. current — electric
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. land — ground
  22. object — to protest
  23. file — a line of people
  24. kick — in football

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