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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. field — a subject
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. field — farmland
  9. current — happening now
  10. foot — a measure
  11. current — electric
  12. court — of law
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. field — for sport
  15. snap — to click
  16. court — of a king
  17. rule — a law
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. court — for sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. current — of water

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