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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — in a race
  3. season — of the year
  4. current — electric
  5. craft — a skill
  6. race — the arms race
  7. charge — a price
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. current — happening now
  12. race — humankind
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wound — an injury
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. race — a contest
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — of water
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. charge — in control
  24. craft — boats

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