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

Word bank: swing · current · pound · deal · safe · hide · stock · rest

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rest — a break
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — to play on
  10. current — happening now
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — electric
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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