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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: bear · file · bay · lie · board · plane · safe · straw

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lie — to recline
  7. file — a document
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — to get on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. file — a line of people
  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