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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — in control
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — a price
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lean — thin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — 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