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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
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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: firm · root · mug · rush · charge · date · clip · current

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. clip — a video
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. date — the fruit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mug — a face
  8. rush — hurry
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mug — a cup
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. clip — to cut
  14. current — electric
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. current — of water
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. root — of a word
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — decided
  22. root — the cause
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rush — a thrill

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