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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 · board · scale · nail · deal · lash · row · cabinet

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — to get on
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. row — a line
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. row — to paddle
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. deal — an agreement

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