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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — happening now
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. shower — rain
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. shower — to wash
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — low music
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — the fish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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