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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.

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: wake · stick · current · stand · key · safe · tube · rush

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. current — happening now
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. key — for a lock
  6. tube — a container
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — the most important part
  10. current — of water
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wake — a trail
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — to bear
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — the underground

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