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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: nail · cell · net · safe · rest · mug · race · current

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mug — a cup
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — in biology
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mug — to rob
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. mug — a face
  12. rest — a break
  13. race — the arms race
  14. net — in sport
  15. race — humankind
  16. current — happening now
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — of water
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — a contest
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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