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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. current — electric
  3. rock — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. charge — a price
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — electricity
  17. last — final
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. last — to go on
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wind — moving air
  23. charge — in control
  24. calf — a young animal

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