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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: rush · current · bark · stock · sharp · safe · band · ball

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. current — electric
  7. band — a ring
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — happening now
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. band — a music group
  16. current — of water
  17. ball — a dance
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rush — to hurry

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