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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. current — of water
  3. kid — child
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. current — electric
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kid — to tease
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — happening now
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. bound — certain
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. perch — the fish
  23. kick — in football
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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