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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · safe · saw · court · mark · fork · mouse · pitch

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. court — for sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. saw — the tool
  12. current — of water
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mark — a trace

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