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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.

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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 · lash · rush · present · current · nail · pitcher · rule

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — the time now
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rule — a law
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. present — there
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — government
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — electric

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