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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
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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: hide · court · present · spell · current · date · nail · safe

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — magic
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. present — a gift
  8. court — for sport
  9. current — electric
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. current — of water
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. court — of a king
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. date — the fruit
  19. spell — letters
  20. current — happening now
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. court — of law
  24. nail — for a hammer

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