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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: board · deal · tube · safe · mark · race · plane · jam

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. deal — to handle
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. board — to get on
  12. tube — the underground
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tube — a container
  17. mark — a grade
  18. race — humankind
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. race — the arms race
  23. plane — in geometry
  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