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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: press · cap · cell · safe · wave · current

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. press — to push
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cap — a hat
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. press — a publisher
  14. current — electric
  15. press — newspapers
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cell — in biology

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