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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. band — a ring
  5. staff — a stick
  6. net — for catching
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — employees
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. current — of water
  20. band — a music group
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. net — in sport
  24. safe — a strongbox

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