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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: saw · board · current · safe · mine · rock · can · patient

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. current — electric
  4. rock — music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — of water
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — to get on
  13. can — a tin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. board — a committee
  16. current — happening now
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mine — for digging
  24. safe — out of danger

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