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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: firm · coach · swing · can · safe · net · sharp · current

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. can — to be able to
  3. current — of water
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — after costs
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — decided
  17. net — for catching
  18. swing — music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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