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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. tube — the underground
  8. club — for golf
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. club — a group
  12. stock — goods
  13. current — of water
  14. row — to paddle
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chair — a leader
  18. tube — a container
  19. current — electric
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. club — for dancing
  22. row — a line
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. current — happening now

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