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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. fine — all right
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — electric
  7. charge — a price
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. charge — in control
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mate — to breed
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fine — high quality
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pound — for dogs

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