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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: safe · wave · field · prune · file · cap · foot · board

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cap — a lid
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. field — for sport
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. file — a document
  11. field — a subject
  12. board — a committee
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — to get on
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cap — a hat
  21. field — farmland
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — the bottom

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