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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. object — to protest
  4. rush — hurry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — of water
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. current — happening now
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kid — child
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — of the year
  17. current — electric
  18. object — an aim
  19. season — in sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — to tease
  24. branch — of a tree

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