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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 116 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: face · hand · safe · wake · court · drill · bank · current

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — part of the head
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. current — happening now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. drill — army training
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. current — of water
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. current — electric
  19. face — to confront
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. hand — in cards
  24. court — of law

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