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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.

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: pit · safe · saw · cell · bank · staff · fan · current

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. bank — of a river
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — employees
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — in a race

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