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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: hide · net · safe · staff · degree · stem · track · current

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — to keep track
  4. current — happening now
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — of water
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. current — electric
  10. track — a song
  11. net — after costs
  12. staff — employees
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. net — in sport
  18. track — a path
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stem — to come from
  21. degree — from a university
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. degree — temperature
  24. net — for catching

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