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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. charge — in control
  3. race — a contest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. race — the arms race
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. current — happening now
  10. key — the most important part
  11. charge — electricity
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cold — not warm
  15. current — of water
  16. race — humankind
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — an illness
  22. charge — a price
  23. key — in music
  24. current — electric

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