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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — of water
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — to wash
  7. net — after costs
  8. shower — rain
  9. chest — a box
  10. board — to get on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chest — of your body
  18. net — in sport
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. chest — of your body
  22. board — a committee
  23. net — for catching
  24. current — electric

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