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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 120 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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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: saw · safe · cold · snap · bear · ruler · nail · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. board — a committee
  6. cold — not warm
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. board — to get on
  24. ruler — for measuring

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