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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. current — electric
  3. spell — letters
  4. rush — hurry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — magic
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. spell — a short time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — a price
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. current — of water
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — in control
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bulb — for light

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