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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. firm — decided
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — in control
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ground — a position
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — a break
  11. current — electric
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. ground — the earth
  17. land — to come down
  18. charge — electricity
  19. land — a country
  20. ground — crushed
  21. charge — a price
  22. land — ground
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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