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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: saw · ball · current · club · cell · safe · key · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ball — a great time
  10. current — happening now
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. current — electric
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a dance
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. current — of water
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cell — a phone
  24. club — a group

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