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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. game — a match
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — of water
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stand — to bear
  11. kid — child
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. deal — to handle
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. current — electric
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. game — wild animals
  24. kid — to tease

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