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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · board · bass · fan · safe · mark

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. board — to get on
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — a committee
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bass — low music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. safe — out of danger

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