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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: net · mouse · current · race · safe · drill · deal · racket

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. current — of water
  3. net — for catching
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — after costs
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — a contest
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. race — the arms race
  18. drill — army training
  19. current — happening now
  20. race — humankind
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. net — in sport

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