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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: bore · squash · swing · mouse · wave · dip · safe · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bore — to drill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. swing — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bore — to tire
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. dip — to dunk

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