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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 120 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: club · safe · drill · arm · season · lean · current · tube

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lean — thin
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. club — for dancing
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lean — to bend
  11. season — of the year
  12. club — for golf
  13. drill — army training
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. drill — a practice
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. season — in sport
  23. current — happening now
  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