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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stand — to bear
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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