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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ground — a position
  4. current — happening now
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for dancing
  7. charge — a price
  8. current — electric
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. ground — crushed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. deal — to handle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — in control
  18. current — of water
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ground — the earth

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