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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 120 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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. current — electric
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — happening now
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. last — final
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — a price
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. last — finally
  18. pop — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. current — of water
  23. last — to go on
  24. charge — in control

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