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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. snap — to click
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. charge — a price
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. charge — electricity
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fall — the season
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. current — electric
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — for dogs

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