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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: wake · board · pitcher · safe · season · shower · hide · band

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. band — a ring
  6. wake — a trail
  7. band — a music group
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. shower — rain
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — in sport
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. shower — to wash
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. season — of the year
  24. wake — before a funeral

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