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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. charge — in control
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. season — in sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. current — of water
  11. season — of the year
  12. bass — the fish
  13. staff — employees
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. tear — to rip
  16. staff — a stick
  17. squash — to crush
  18. charge — a price
  19. staff — employees
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bass — low music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. tear — from crying

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