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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. current — electric
  6. cap — a hat
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — of ice
  9. current — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. cap — a lid
  12. spring — the season
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. spring — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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