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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: cue · board · sharp · safe · stick · nail · bear · shower

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cue — a hint
  6. shower — rain
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — clever
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. board — to get on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bear — the animal

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