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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.

Words on the sheet
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 · kid · mug · safe · scale · fan · prune · arm

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. prune — to trim
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. scale — in music
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. scale — size or range
  15. kid — child
  16. mug — to rob
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mug — a face
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mug — a cup
  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