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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: lean · bore · saw · ball · field · safe · bound · current

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bound — tied together
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a dance
  10. field — a subject
  11. saw — the tool
  12. field — farmland
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lean — thin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bore — to drill
  19. field — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. bore — to tire
  24. current — happening now

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