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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · safe · kick · game · clip · season · mouse · temple

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. kick — in football
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. clip — a video
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — in sport
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. clip — to cut
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — electric
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. season — of the year
  22. clip — for paper
  23. current — of water
  24. mouse — for a computer

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