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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — electric
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fine — all right
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — to breed
  15. file — a document
  16. saw — the tool
  17. current — happening now
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mate — a friend
  21. current — of water
  22. file — a tool
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. perch — for a bird

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