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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. field — for sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rule — government
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. current — happening now
  13. charge — a price
  14. bulb — for light
  15. current — electric
  16. rule — a law
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — a subject
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. current — of water
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — in control
  24. field — farmland

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