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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — of water
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — electric
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cap — of ice
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cell — a phone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cell — in biology
  21. wind — moving air
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cap — a lid
  24. current — happening now

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