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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 · mark · cell · face · mouse · safe · bank · march

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. march — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bank — of a river
  11. march — the month
  12. mark — a grade
  13. face — to confront
  14. cell — in biology
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. current — of water
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. mark — to pay attention

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