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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: row · leaves · safe · pit · sharp · current · ground · cabinet

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — the earth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. row — a line
  10. ground — crushed
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ground — a position
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. current — electric
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — to paddle
  18. current — of water
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. current — happening now
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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