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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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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 · foot · can · swing · current · mug · game · wind

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — to play on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. game — a match
  14. mug — a face
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. game — wild animals
  21. can — a tin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — to be able to
  24. current — happening now

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