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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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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: kick · rule · safe · cold · wake · tube · craft · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rule — government
  12. tube — the underground
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kick — in football
  16. craft — boats
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fine — all right
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. rule — a law
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tube — a container

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