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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 124 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. current — of water
  5. bound — certain
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rest — a break
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bound — tied together
  13. current — electric
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wound — an injury
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — happening now
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. swing — music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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