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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — of water
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. game — a match
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. game — wild animals
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pop — music
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pop — to visit
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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