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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. land — a country
  3. kick — in football
  4. tube — a container
  5. land — ground
  6. bound — certain
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bound — tied together
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — steady
  14. charge — in control
  15. land — to come down
  16. bound — obliged
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. charge — a price
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. roll — a list
  24. kick — with a leg

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