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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bank — for money
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. spell — magic

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