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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: wave · date · temple · bore · charge · swing · current · chair

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bore — to drill
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. current — electric
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bore — to tire
  16. charge — electricity
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. current — happening now
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. date — on the calendar

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