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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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 — happening now
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. current — electric
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — of water
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — to crush
  16. track — a song
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. sharp — clever
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. track — a path
  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