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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: arm · mouse · rush · safe · scale · object · board · current

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — of water
  6. board — to get on
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. scale — in music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. current — happening now
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rush — hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — electric
  21. object — a thing
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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