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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. game — a match
  3. pass — a permit
  4. charge — a price
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lean — thin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. game — wild animals
  11. current — happening now
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stem — to come from
  15. lean — to bend
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. current — of water
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. snap — to click

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