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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · firm · cold · rock · current · ball · file · safe

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cap — of ice
  3. current — of water
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — an illness
  7. file — a document
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a hat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rock — music
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — a company
  16. file — a tool
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. current — happening now
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ball — a dance

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