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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rock — a stone
  3. current — electric
  4. land — a country
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. fine — high quality
  8. current — happening now
  9. rock — music
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. land — ground
  14. fine — all right
  15. game — wild animals
  16. land — to come down
  17. game — a match
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. charge — a price
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. game — a kind of play

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