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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chest — a box
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — a price
  12. branch — a division
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — of your body
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wind — moving air
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. current — of water
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bulb — of a plant

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