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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. current — electric
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. current — of water
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rock — music
  11. charge — in control
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. branch — a division
  15. hand — help
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. charge — a price
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. plane — a tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rock — a stone

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