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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a hole
  7. charge — in control
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cell — a phone
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — happening now
  12. pit — in a race
  13. current — of water
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. firm — steady
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cell — in biology
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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