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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 116 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: mine · board · safe · drill · bass · perch · fine · stick

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bass — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fine — all right
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — a committee
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — army training
  11. board — to get on
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mine — for digging
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — low music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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