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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. current — of water
  3. hand — in cards
  4. current — happening now
  5. board — to get on
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rush — hurry
  8. current — electric
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. swing — in golf
  13. prune — to trim
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. board — a committee
  24. hand — help

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