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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. charge — in control
  3. shower — to wash
  4. current — electric
  5. shower — rain
  6. current — happening now
  7. court — of a king
  8. charge — a price
  9. court — of law
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stock — shares
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. court — for sport
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. face — to point toward

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