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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: lean · bowl · dip · wound · present · safe · board · mark

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — there
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — to get on
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — the time now
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. present — a gift
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lean — thin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — to bend
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bowl — to roll

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