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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 120 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: board · rash · nail · cap · club · fine · safe · spring

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cap — of ice
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cap — a lid
  10. spring — the season
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. club — for golf
  15. spring — a coil
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rash — hasty
  18. board — a committee
  19. spring — of water
  20. fine — all right
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rash — a series
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — high quality

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