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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — boats
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — a stone
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. board — to get on
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. board — a committee

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