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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: board · mate · mine · sharp · snap · current · safe · pop

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pop — soda
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — happening now
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pop — to visit
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pop — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mate — to breed
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — electric
  22. snap — to click
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mine — an explosive

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