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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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Word bank
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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 did you ________________ them?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — a face
  6. saw — the tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. swing — to play on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — electricity
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. charge — a price
  15. wound — an injury
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. current — of water
  19. staff — employees
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. charge — in control
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mate — to breed

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