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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chest — a box
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. chest — of your body
  10. charge — in control
  11. current — of water
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hand — help
  17. fork — in a road
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. chest — of your body
  22. current — happening now
  23. charge — electricity
  24. current — electric

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