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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wound — an injury
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. saw — the tool
  8. current — electric
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. band — a music group
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. band — a ring
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. band — a rubber band

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