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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — in control
  4. current — happening now
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. charge — a price
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spring — the season
  11. spell — magic
  12. kick — in football
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. spell — letters
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. current — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. spring — of water
  24. rush — to hurry

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