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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — to come down
  4. mate — a partner
  5. present — the time now
  6. current — electric
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — happening now
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mate — a friend
  17. land — ground
  18. spell — letters
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — of water
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. land — a country
  23. spell — magic
  24. mate — to breed

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