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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: safe · current · kid · dip · wind · rock · mouse · snap

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — music
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. current — happening now
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. snap — to click
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. current — of water
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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