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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. date — the fruit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rock — music
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. charge — a price
  9. current — happening now
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — of water
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. current — electric
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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