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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: safe · root · hand · rule · craft · stand · rush · fan

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — a law
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — to bear
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rule — government
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. root — the cause
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. root — of a word

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