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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: rush · roll · board · foot · ruler · safe · race · craft

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — hurry
  3. board — to get on
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. craft — a skill
  7. race — a contest
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — a measure
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. board — a committee
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. roll — a cake
  21. race — humankind
  22. craft — boats
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rush — a thrill

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