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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. race — a contest
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. current — of water
  5. drill — a practice
  6. charge — in control
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. drill — army training
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — a price
  11. drill — the tool
  12. current — electric
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stem — to come from
  15. race — the arms race
  16. court — of law
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. court — for sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. court — of a king
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. race — humankind
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. kick — in football

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