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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: safe · chest · bay · file · firm · board · rush · nail

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a line of people
  3. board — to get on
  4. file — a document
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chest — of your body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. firm — decided
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. firm — a company
  22. file — a tool
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. board — a committee

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