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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. kid — child
  7. game — wild animals
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a match
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. current — happening now
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. current — electric
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kid — to tease
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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