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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. content — the amount
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lean — to bend
  20. current — of water
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — thin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. current — electric

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