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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. race — a contest
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. current — electric
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. race — the arms race
  15. charge — in control
  16. branch — a division
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. race — humankind
  23. cell — in biology
  24. charge — a price

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