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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: stand · safe · land · track · bear · last · cell · suit

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — to bear
  10. last — finally
  11. bear — the animal
  12. land — to come down
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. last — final
  17. cell — in biology
  18. track — a song
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bear — the animal

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