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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: wind · safe · bank · squash · bore · face · content · current

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. face — to point toward
  3. current — of water
  4. squash — the sport
  5. content — happy
  6. bore — to tire
  7. current — happening now
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. face — to confront
  11. squash — to crush
  12. current — electric
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — to drill
  19. content — the amount
  20. wind — moving air
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bank — of a river
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. squash — the vegetable

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