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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: wake · bass · cabinet · stand · drill · ruler · safe · rush

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. drill — army training
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. safe — out of danger

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