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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. current — electric
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. game — wild animals
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — child
  19. game — a match
  20. rush — hurry
  21. kid — to tease
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rush — a thrill

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