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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. current — electric
  3. swing — in golf
  4. current — of water
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitch — completely
  13. charge — electricity
  14. spell — magic
  15. current — happening now
  16. spell — a short time
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — a price
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. track — a path
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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