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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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 — a price
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — happening now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. game — a match
  8. key — in music
  9. lean — thin
  10. current — of water
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — electric
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. charge — in control
  19. hand — help
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lean — to bend
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lean — to rest against
  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