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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. current — electric
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bass — low music
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. current — happening now
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the fish
  23. current — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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