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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 116 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
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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: cell · safe · bowl · current · file · squash

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. current — of water
  13. file — a tool
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. file — a document
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bowl — to roll

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