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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: safe · board · mate · leaves · bass · shower · can · hand

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hand — help
  3. bass — low music
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. board — a committee
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — rain
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. shower — to wash
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. can — a tin
  21. bass — the fish
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mate — a partner
  24. can — a tin

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