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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
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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 · last · board · suit · club · race · mine · scale

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. suit — to fit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — for dancing
  5. race — the arms race
  6. last — to go on
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. scale — size or range
  12. club — for golf
  13. mine — for digging
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. suit — clothes
  18. last — finally
  19. race — humankind
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. race — a contest
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — a group
  24. last — final

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