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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: cabinet · rush · chip · fall · stick · last · rock · safe

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chip — for betting
  7. last — finally
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chip — to eat
  17. last — to go on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rock — music
  21. fall — the season
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. last — final

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