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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: cue · safe · hand · rash · lash · board · fine · date

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rash — a series
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cue — for pool
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fine — all right
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — a hint
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. board — to get on
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fine — high quality

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