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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · snap · hand · perch · date · face · current · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. current — electric
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. current — happening now
  6. mug — a cup
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. current — of water
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — the fish
  14. face — to point toward
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mug — to rob
  18. face — to confront
  19. hand — in cards
  20. face — part of the head
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. date — the fruit
  23. snap — to click
  24. hand — help

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