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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: safe · track · current · drill · ball · board · foot · mark

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. foot — a measure
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — electric
  8. board — to get on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. drill — army training
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mark — a grade
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. track — a path
  21. current — of water
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. drill — a practice

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