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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: current · sharp · wound · roll · safe · temple · craft · last

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — happening now
  3. roll — a list
  4. wound — an injury
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. last — finally
  7. current — electric
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — of water
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a skill
  13. last — to go on
  14. sharp — clever
  15. last — final
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. craft — boats
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wound — an injury
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a cake
  24. sharp — exactly

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