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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — happening now
  4. wake — a trail
  5. land — to come down
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — a country
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. land — ground
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bark — of a tree

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