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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. charge — a price
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. season — in sport
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hand — help
  15. charge — in control
  16. rash — a series
  17. season — of the year
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — electric
  24. charge — electricity

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