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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wound — an injury
  9. face — to confront
  10. bulb — for light
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. face — to point toward
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — for light

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