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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: rush · cabinet · snap · firm · board · safe · row · kid

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kid — child
  3. rush — hurry
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. board — to get on
  6. firm — a company
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — decided
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. row — to paddle
  16. kid — to tease
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. board — a committee
  22. firm — steady
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. snap — to click

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