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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mate — a friend
  3. firm — decided
  4. current — electric
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a music group
  15. mate — to breed
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. kick — in football
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. band — a ring
  24. current — of water

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