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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.

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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. current — happening now
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ground — the earth
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. scale — in music
  9. current — electric
  10. drill — a practice
  11. date — the fruit
  12. scale — size or range
  13. drill — the tool
  14. current — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ground — crushed
  18. drill — army training

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