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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 116 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: clip · current · perch · safe · cabinet · spring · suit · wind

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. current — of water
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — the season
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — for paper
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. clip — a video
  19. current — electric
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. clip — to cut
  24. perch — for a bird

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