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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: field · calf · saw · club · safe · rule · wake · board

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. club — a group
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — a subject
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. club — for dancing
  17. field — for sport
  18. board — to get on
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a committee
  21. rule — a law
  22. field — farmland
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. club — for golf

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