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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. net — for catching
  6. current — of water
  7. net — in sport
  8. rash — hasty
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. current — happening now
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rash — a series
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. roll — a list
  19. current — electric
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. net — after costs
  23. safe — out of danger
  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