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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. file — a tool
  3. season — of the year
  4. file — a document
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — a permit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. game — wild animals
  9. current — of water
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. current — happening now
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. game — a match
  21. current — electric
  22. season — in sport
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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