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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 120 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: tube · fan · march · stand · deal · safe

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. tube — a container
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — to bear
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. fan — a supporter

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