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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 116 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: object · bat · sharp · board · mug · safe · swing · spring

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — a committee
  6. bat — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mug — a cup
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — to protest
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — of water
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — to play on
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — to get on

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