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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pop — soda
  9. current — happening now
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. foot — a measure
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. current — of water
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pass — a permit
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — music
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. band — a ring

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