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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. last — to go on
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. current — electric
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — happening now
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — final
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. charge — electricity
  21. last — finally
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. foot — a measure
  24. charge — a price

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