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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. current — happening now
  3. tear — from crying
  4. current — electric
  5. charge — in control
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. present — the time now
  8. capital — money
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tear — to rip
  12. present — there
  13. charge — a price
  14. capital — a city
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. current — of water
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — a gift
  21. track — a path
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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