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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · lie · swing · straw · board · mark · safe · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. scale — in music
  4. land — a country
  5. swing — in golf
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a trace
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. land — to come down
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — a grade
  22. board — to get on
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. straw — a straw man

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