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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. charge — a price
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rash — a series
  13. craft — boats
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — thin
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cap — a hat
  18. capital — money
  19. rest — a break
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rest — what's left
  22. capital — a city
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — of water

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