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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. land — a country
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — bread
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. current — of water
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pop — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. squash — to crush
  14. charge — in control
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. land — to come down
  18. pop — soda
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. charge — a price
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — to visit

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