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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. land — a country
  5. pit — a hole
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pit — in a race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stand — to bear
  15. land — ground
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. land — to come down
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. current — electric
  22. rush — hurry
  23. current — of water
  24. stand — on your feet

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