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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. land — a country
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stand — to bear
  6. kick — in football
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. row — to paddle
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — of water
  12. land — ground
  13. current — happening now
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. row — a line
  17. net — for catching
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. land — to come down
  23. present — there
  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