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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. board — to get on
  9. root — of a plant
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. object — a thing
  15. root — the cause
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. root — of a word
  22. pit — a hole
  23. board — a committee
  24. stand — on your feet

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