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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: club · staff · current · face · arm · object · safe · fan

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. current — electric
  3. club — for golf
  4. current — happening now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. staff — employees
  8. object — a thing
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. face — part of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — of water
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. staff — a stick
  15. face — to point toward
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — a group
  22. object — an aim
  23. face — to confront
  24. club — for dancing

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