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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 · wind · cell · stem · mug · current · band · can

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mug — a face
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — of water
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a ring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wind — moving air
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mug — to rob

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