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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 116 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 were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. dip — to sink
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. charge — in control
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. charge — a price
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. current — electric
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a tool
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. kick — a thrill

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