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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 124 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. current — happening now
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — a price
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — decided
  7. current — electric
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. current — of water
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. roll — a list
  17. firm — a company
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. charge — electricity

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