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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — a trace
  7. march — the month
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fall — the season
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. charge — in control
  14. last — finally
  15. march — music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. march — the month
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — final
  22. chip — for betting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mark — a grade

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