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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: file · rule · safe · pit · cell · board

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cell — in biology
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. board — to get on
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. file — a document
  14. pit — in a race
  15. file — a tool
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. file — a line of people
  18. board — a committee

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