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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: mouse · row · scale · current · jam · safe · stand · patient

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — of water
  12. scale — in music
  13. row — to paddle
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. row — a line
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stand — to bear

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