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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — happening now
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pop — music
  19. scale — in music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — boats
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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