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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
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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 · mine · trunk · firm · bay · net · deal · current

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. current — of water
  4. deal — to handle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — for catching
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. current — happening now
  9. firm — decided
  10. mine — for digging
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. net — after costs
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. net — in sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. current — electric
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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