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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. staff — employees
  3. wake — a trail
  4. current — of water
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. present — there
  7. squash — the sport
  8. kid — child
  9. staff — employees
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. present — a gift
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — happening now
  16. kid — to tease
  17. current — electric
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. staff — a stick
  21. present — the time now
  22. pitch — completely
  23. squash — to crush
  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