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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. object — to protest
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. current — happening now
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cell — a phone
  23. current — of water
  24. trunk — of a tree

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