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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: board · mouse · bat · safe · season · row · saw · squash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. board — a committee
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. row — a line
  17. bat — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. squash — to crush
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. squash — the sport

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