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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: game · safe · coach · board · saw · straw · bay · wind

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. saw — the tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. game — a match
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wind — moving air
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — a committee
  15. wind — moving air
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. game — wild animals
  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