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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · firm · wound · pass · safe · fine · leaves · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fine — all right
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. firm — decided
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — a permit
  18. firm — steady
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — of a tree

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