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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. present — a gift
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stock — shares
  13. squash — the sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. rule — a law
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — electric
  18. rule — government
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. present — there
  23. stock — goods
  24. current — of water

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