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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. sharp — clever
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mine — for digging
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wound — an injury
  8. current — happening now
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. current — electric
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. kick — in football
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — of water
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. sharp — with an edge

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