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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.

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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. foot — a measure
  9. board — a committee
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. shower — rain
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hand — help
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. board — to get on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — part of the body

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