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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. current — happening now
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. current — of water
  12. mug — a face
  13. content — the amount
  14. lean — to bend
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mug — to rob
  18. charge — in control
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mug — a cup
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stem — to come from

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