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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — a price
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. craft — boats
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. current — electric
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. deal — to handle
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — the amount
  23. ground — the earth
  24. current — happening now

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