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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — a price
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. charge — in control
  15. band — a ring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. current — happening now
  19. band — a music group
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wake — a trail

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