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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 116 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: rest · board · sharp · squash · safe · race · bay · fan

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. squash — to crush
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rest — a break
  9. squash — the sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — to get on
  13. sharp — clever
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. race — humankind
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a committee

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