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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — in control
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. charge — a price
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — a subject
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — electric
  15. field — for sport
  16. band — a ring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pass — a permit
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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