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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: spell · arm · pop · rash · net · current · charge · rock

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rock — music
  3. current — of water
  4. spell — a short time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pop — music
  7. current — happening now
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. spell — magic
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rock — a stone
  13. current — electric
  14. rash — hasty
  15. pop — soda
  16. charge — in control
  17. spell — letters
  18. rash — a series
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — to visit
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. arm — part of the body

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