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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rock — music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. current — of water
  11. race — a contest
  12. charge — a price
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. hand — help
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. charge — in control
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. charge — electricity

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