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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 124 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
468
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: kick · saw · stem · patient · net · bore · safe · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. net — after costs
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stem — to come from
  5. net — in sport
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bore — to drill
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. kick — in football
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bore — to tire
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. net — for catching
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. safe — a strongbox

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