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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.

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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: safe · last · stock · nail · straw · current · kick · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. current — happening now
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — goods
  13. last — finally
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. last — to go on
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. last — final
  20. current — electric
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. current — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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