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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: spring · ruler · firm · degree · stand · board · toast · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — decided
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. degree — an amount
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. firm — a company
  10. degree — temperature
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — steady
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — bread
  15. degree — from a university
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spring — the season
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stand — to bear
  22. board — a committee
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spring — of water

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