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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.

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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. object — a thing
  3. mug — a face
  4. season — of the year
  5. game — a match
  6. current — electric
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mug — to rob
  9. object — to protest
  10. current — of water
  11. hand — in cards
  12. scale — size or range
  13. charge — in control
  14. season — in sport
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hand — help
  17. scale — in music
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. object — an aim
  20. charge — a price
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. charge — electricity

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