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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: game · current · safe · fork · lie · bay · wake · kid

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. current — of water
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — to recline
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kid — child
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fork — in a road
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. current — electric
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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