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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stand · game · current · cap · row · bass · safe · mark

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — the fish
  8. row — a line
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a hat
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stand — to bear
  15. game — wild animals
  16. row — to paddle
  17. current — of water
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cap — of ice
  22. game — a match
  23. bass — low music
  24. current — happening now

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