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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lie — to recline
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. snap — to click
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. current — of water
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — happening now
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. hand — help
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — out of danger

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