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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — of water
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wind — moving air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rock — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. current — happening now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. current — electric
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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