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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. clip — to cut
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. clip — a video
  10. stand — to bear
  11. clip — for paper
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — electric
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stand — for spectators

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