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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. fall — the season
  6. board — to get on
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fall — to drop
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a committee
  17. fall — to drop
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hand — help
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mine — an explosive

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