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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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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: file · root · safe · bowl · rest · current · snap · kid

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. kid — child
  6. root — of a word
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kid — to tease
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — a break
  16. file — a document
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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