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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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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: field · board · rush · pass · safe · hand · lie · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — a committee
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — a permit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — for sport
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. board — to get on
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. hand — help
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. hand — in cards
  22. field — farmland
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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