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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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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: stand · season · dip · fork · fan · safe · object · hand

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — a thing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. season — of the year
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hand — in cards
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — help
  18. stand — to bear
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. season — in sport
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hand — part of the 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