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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. board — to get on
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bass — the fish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a committee
  12. bass — low music
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rule — a law
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rule — government
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stem — to come from

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