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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — electric
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cell — in biology
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. spring — of water
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. cell — a phone
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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