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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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a committee
  3. club — for golf
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a grade
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — a trace
  18. board — to get on
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. wake — a trail
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. ruler — a monarch

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