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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: sharp · snap · current · safe · bass · last · object · straw

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bass — the fish
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. object — a thing
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. object — to protest
  13. last — final
  14. object — an aim
  15. bass — low music
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. snap — to click
  18. current — happening now
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. last — to go on
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. sharp — clever

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