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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chair — a leader
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — happening now
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — of water

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