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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitch — completely
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fine — all right
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — a position
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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