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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 · arm · game · board · shower · stick · lie · capital

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — rain
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. capital — a city
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. board — a committee
  21. capital — money
  22. shower — to wash
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. game — a match

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