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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 · bank · staff · current · capital · cap · season · mouse

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bank — for money
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — electric
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bank — for money
  13. cap — of ice
  14. current — of water
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. capital — money
  17. season — in sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. capital — a city
  21. cap — a hat
  22. staff — a stick
  23. season — of the year
  24. capital — a big letter

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