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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. court — of law
  4. charge — electricity
  5. current — of water
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. charge — a price
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. tube — the underground
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cold — not warm
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. current — electric
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cold — an illness
  20. charge — in control
  21. tube — a container
  22. court — of a king
  23. current — happening now
  24. court — for sport

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