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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: current · ball · safe · sharp · mouse · hand · firm · rush

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — hurry
  3. firm — decided
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ball — a dance
  7. hand — help
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — clever
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ball — a great time
  22. firm — a company
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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