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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — a song
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — of water
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. dip — to sink
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. bat — the animal
  19. current — electric
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — happening now
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bat — for baseball

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