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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wind — moving air
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fall — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. last — finally
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. current — happening now
  15. fall — to drop
  16. current — of water
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. last — to go on
  24. wind — to turn a key

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