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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. track — to keep track
  6. spell — magic
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. current — of water
  9. bore — to tire
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. track — a path
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cap — a lid
  17. current — happening now
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — a price
  20. spell — letters
  21. bore — to drill
  22. charge — in control
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — to pay attention

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