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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wind — moving air
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. tear — from crying
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a partner
  15. snap — to click
  16. tear — from crying
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — electric
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. current — of water
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. safe — out of danger

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