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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 120 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 · chip · sharp · can · safe · ball · bat · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — happening now
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. can — a tin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rest — a break
  9. current — of water
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — to eat
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. ball — a great time

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