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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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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 · swing · safe · pit · wave · squash · plane · board

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. squash — to crush
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. board — a committee
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rest — what's left
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rest — a break
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. swing — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pit — in a race
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. board — to get on
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. plane — a tool

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