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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lean — to bend
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. craft — a skill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. swing — music
  14. craft — boats
  15. current — of water
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. swing — in golf
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. current — electric
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lean — thin

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