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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — to confront
  3. sharp — clever
  4. face — part of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. lean — thin
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. charge — electricity
  9. current — electric
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. game — a match
  12. bank — for money
  13. current — of water
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. game — wild animals
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — happening now
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bank — for money

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