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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: board · present · ruler · toast · racket · saw · safe · field

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. board — to get on
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — there
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — a committee
  18. field — for sport
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. present — the time now
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. present — a gift
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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