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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · current · mug · charge · pass · ground · content · fan

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — a permit
  4. content — happy
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ground — crushed
  7. content — the amount
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. charge — a price
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — for digging
  12. current — happening now
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — electric
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ground — the earth
  17. charge — in control
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. current — of water
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. ground — a position
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pass — to succeed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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