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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: lean · season · ground · club · current · rash · roll · safe

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rash — hasty
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. current — electric
  5. roll — a list
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. season — of the year
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — thin
  11. roll — a cake
  12. season — in sport
  13. club — a group
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ground — crushed
  16. current — happening now
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. club — for golf
  19. ground — a position
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ground — the earth
  22. current — of water
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — a series

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