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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mug — to rob
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mug — a cup
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — of a word
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. root — the cause
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pass — to spend time

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