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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 124 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rule — a law
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rule — government
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. drill — army training
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. drill — the tool
  11. key — in music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. drill — a practice
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. current — happening now
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — in cards
  20. current — electric
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pound — a weight
  24. straw — a straw man

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