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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: current · pit · safe · field · wave · present · capital · charge

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. capital — money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. field — for sport
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. current — electric
  13. field — a subject
  14. capital — a city
  15. present — the time now
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — happening now
  19. field — farmland
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. present — there
  22. charge — a price
  23. current — of water
  24. capital — a big letter

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