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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.

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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: rest · safe · board · fork · cap · nail · field · staff

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. staff — a stick
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. field — farmland
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. field — for sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. field — a subject
  20. board — to get on
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cap — a hat
  24. staff — employees

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