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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mark — a grade
  5. current — electric
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mark — a trace
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kick — in football
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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