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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rule — a law
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. fall — the season
  5. chair — a leader
  6. content — the amount
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — music
  16. rule — government
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rock — a stone
  20. content — happy
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fall — to drop
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rock — to move gently

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