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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — a price
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. current — happening now
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. clip — for paper
  14. charge — electricity
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. charge — in control
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. current — electric
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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