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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: net · current · rule · wave · safe · present · wind · deal

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. present — there
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wind — moving air
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wind — moving air
  12. net — after costs
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. net — in sport
  16. present — a gift
  17. current — of water
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. net — for catching
  23. rule — a law
  24. wave — with your hand

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