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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rock — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. field — for sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. field — a subject
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cue — a hint
  22. charge — in control
  23. cap — a hat
  24. field — farmland

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