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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cell — in biology
  3. current — electric
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. current — of water
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. charge — a price
  10. present — a gift
  11. cap — of ice
  12. charge — in control
  13. cap — a hat
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stem — to come from
  20. present — the time now
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. present — there
  24. bore — to drill

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