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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 that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. object — to protest
  3. club — for golf
  4. mug — a cup
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. object — a thing
  8. ground — a position
  9. track — a path
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. ground — crushed
  13. current — happening now
  14. ground — the earth
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. object — an aim
  18. current — of water
  19. track — a song
  20. mug — to rob
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — electric
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. charge — in control

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