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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. swing — in golf
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. current — of water
  5. land — to come down
  6. rash — hasty
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. land — ground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — a country
  13. swing — music
  14. ground — a position
  15. saw — the tool
  16. swing — to play on
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. current — electric
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ground — the earth
  24. squash — to crush

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