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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mark — a trace
  6. charge — a price
  7. file — a tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mark — a grade
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pitch — completely
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. file — a document
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — of water

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