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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: kid · safe · swing · lie · mate · date · board · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — to get on
  10. mate — a partner
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. swing — music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. board — a committee
  17. mate — to breed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — in 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