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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — in control
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — help
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. current — of water
  21. charge — a price
  22. current — happening now
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. staff — employees

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