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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. last — to go on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. last — finally
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — in cards
  14. current — happening now
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. hand — help
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. last — final
  24. hand — part of the body

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