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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ball · mate · clip · sharp · cell · ruler · current

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. current — of water
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. clip — for paper
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. current — happening now
  9. clip — to cut
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in biology
  12. clip — a video
  13. mate — to breed
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — electric
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mate — a partner
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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