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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — happening now
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. bass — low music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — steady
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. season — in sport
  17. land — a country
  18. charge — a price
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. charge — in control
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. bass — the fish
  24. firm — decided

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