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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mark — a trace

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