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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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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: dip · fork · club · fan · temple · board · safe · rest

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rest — a break
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — in a road
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. dip — to sink

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