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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. shower — to wash
  5. board — to get on
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — hurry
  11. shower — rain
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. rock — a stone
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. board — a committee
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — in football

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