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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: spring · safe · tube · track · wind · fine · suit · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spring — the season
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — a container
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. board — a committee
  13. spring — of water
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wind — moving air
  16. track — a path
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. spring — a coil
  23. track — a song
  24. 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