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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. face — to point toward
  3. content — happy
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. charge — in control
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. face — to confront
  9. board — to get on
  10. stem — to come from
  11. board — a committee
  12. content — the amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. current — happening now
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stem — of a plant

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