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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wind — moving air
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mug — a face
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. current — happening now
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rest — a break
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — after costs
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — in sport
  21. current — electric
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wind — moving air

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