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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. current — electric
  6. squash — the sport
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. roll — a list
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — a signal
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. charge — in control
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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