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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. scale — size or range
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. current — electric
  5. present — a gift
  6. pop — soda
  7. charge — a price
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — to bend
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lean — thin
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. root — of a plant
  19. current — happening now
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. pop — music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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