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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: board · club · cell · court · nail · safe · spell · current

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. court — for sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of law
  8. spell — letters
  9. current — electric
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — magic
  12. board — a committee
  13. cell — a phone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cell — in biology
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. court — of a king
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. club — a group
  21. spell — a short time
  22. club — for dancing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — to get on

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