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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. net — for catching
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. board — to get on
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. drill — army training
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. net — after costs
  13. drill — a practice
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. drill — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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