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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. band — a music group
  6. chest — of your body
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chest — a box
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — clever
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. band — a ring
  18. board — a committee
  19. chest — of your body
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. sharp — with an edge

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