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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bulb — for light
  12. file — a document
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a line of people
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lash — an eyelash

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