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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. swing — music
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. board — a committee
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — in golf
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kid — to tease
  16. board — to get on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. nail — for a hammer

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