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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. current — electric
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. current — of water
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. charge — a price
  18. current — happening now
  19. snap — to click
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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