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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: squash · safe · club · current · row · snap · foot · scale

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. squash — to crush
  3. foot — a measure
  4. scale — in music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. squash — the sport
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. club — for golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. current — of water
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. snap — to click
  17. row — to paddle
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. scale — size or range

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