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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: safe · stick · dip · object · rock · stand · net · chest

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. rock — a stone
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. chest — a box
  16. rock — music
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. net — after costs
  19. chest — of your body
  20. net — in sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — for catching
  23. object — an aim
  24. chest — of your body

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