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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: drill · swing · current · leaves · board · nail · safe · spring

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. swing — to play on
  3. spring — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — the tool
  12. board — a committee
  13. swing — music
  14. drill — army training
  15. spring — a coil
  16. swing — in golf
  17. current — of water
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — electric
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. drill — a practice

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