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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. current — electric
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — the underground
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — a container
  6. pop — to visit
  7. present — there
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. season — of the year
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. current — happening now
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. season — in sport
  20. present — a gift
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rock — a stone
  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