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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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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: racket · suit · tear · chest · wind · board · safe · firm

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. board — to get on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. chest — of your body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chest — a box
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. firm — decided
  17. board — a committee
  18. chest — of your body
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. racket — for tennis

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