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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: safe · leaves · jam · suit · saw · kick · current · bat

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — in football
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. current — of water
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bat — the animal
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. current — electric

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