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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: rule · nail · board · mouse · present · cold · safe · net

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. cold — not warm
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — government
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cold — an illness
  6. net — for catching
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. present — a gift
  11. net — in sport
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rule — a law
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. net — after costs
  23. board — to get on
  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