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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. board — to get on
  3. mate — a friend
  4. hand — in cards
  5. club — a group
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mate — to breed
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. board — a committee
  12. bass — low music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — help
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. drill — army training
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bass — the fish

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