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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: safe · calf · march · saw · bat · board · swing · rest

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. board — to get on
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — music
  9. rest — a break
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. march — the month
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bat — the animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — out of danger

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