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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: row · board · safe · mouse · object · march · land · fall

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fall — the season
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. land — to come down
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. march — the month
  14. object — a thing
  15. march — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — to get on
  20. land — a country
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — a committee
  23. fall — to drop
  24. land — ground

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