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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · bore · rest · fan · net · safe · board · band

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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. bore — to tire
  4. net — in sport
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bore — to drill
  8. swing — in golf
  9. band — a music group
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — a break
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. swing — music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a ring
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. band — a rubber band

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