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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: dip · nail · saw · safe · bass · board · rest · fall

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — to get on
  3. fall — to drop
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fall — the season
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — the tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fall — to drop
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. saw — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — a committee
  23. dip — to sink
  24. nail — on a finger

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