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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.

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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: press · saw · plane · rash · safe · bowl · current · band

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rash — hasty
  13. band — a ring
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. saw — the tool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bowl — a football final

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