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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: current · net · kick · key · trunk · mug · safe · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mug — to rob
  3. net — after costs
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. mug — a cup
  8. net — in sport
  9. key — for a lock
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. key — the most important part
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. current — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — for catching
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. mug — a face
  23. kick — in football
  24. key — in music

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