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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — to get on
  3. shower — to wash
  4. craft — a skill
  5. current — of water
  6. shower — rain
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cap — a hat
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. cap — a lid
  17. craft — boats
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cap — of ice
  24. plane — in geometry

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