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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: game · rush · safe · land · lie · fine · straw · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — to come down
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fine — all right
  9. game — wild animals
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. land — a country
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. land — ground
  17. board — a committee
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — hurry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. game — a match

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