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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: can · last · hand · safe · net · lash · swing · current

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. net — after costs
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. net — for catching
  6. swing — to play on
  7. can — a tin
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hand — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — to be able to
  16. current — of water
  17. swing — music
  18. net — in sport
  19. can — a tin
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. hand — help
  22. current — electric
  23. last — to go on
  24. lash — an eyelash

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