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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: swing · wake · tear · scale · mine · safe · charge · current

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. current — of water
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. swing — to play on
  8. scale — in music
  9. tear — from crying
  10. current — electric
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. tear — from crying
  13. current — happening now
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wake — a trail
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. charge — a price
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. charge — in control
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — music
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. tear — to rip
  24. charge — electricity

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