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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: safe · rash · deal · field · arm · clip · staff · board

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. field — farmland
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. staff — employees
  7. rash — a series
  8. staff — a stick
  9. field — for sport
  10. clip — for paper
  11. field — a subject
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. clip — to cut
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — hasty
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. clip — a video
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. staff — employees
  23. board — to get on
  24. arm — part of the body

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