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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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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: board · clip · current · safe · drill · fall · stick · cabinet

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — to get on
  4. current — electric
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. drill — the tool
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. clip — for paper
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. clip — a video
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. drill — army training

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