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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
468
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 · date · deal · foot · current · game · chest · lean

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. current — happening now
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. game — a match
  11. chest — of your body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. game — wild animals
  14. current — electric
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. current — of water
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. chest — a box
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. date — the fruit

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