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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 120 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 · chair · snap · board · rush · spell · pass · net

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. board — a committee
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. spell — letters
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. net — in sport
  10. snap — to click
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — to get on
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pass — a permit
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. net — after costs
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. net — for catching
  24. pass — to succeed

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