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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. current — electric
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — happening now
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — a price
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rock — music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  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