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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: land · nail · row · safe · toast · fan · cell · current

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — happening now
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. land — to come down
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. toast — bread
  9. row — to paddle
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — electric
  14. land — a country
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — ground
  18. current — of water
  19. row — a line
  20. cell — in biology
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cell — a phone

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