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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. current — of water
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. dip — to sink
  7. field — farmland
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — to handle
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. field — a subject
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — for a computer

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