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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. current — happening now
  3. bound — tied together
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ground — a position
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. dip — to sink
  10. spring — the season
  11. bound — obliged
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — certain

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