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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: chip · current · wind · safe · stem · mouse · spell · patient

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — electric
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. spell — magic
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wind — moving air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — to come from
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spell — letters
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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