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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 116 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: rush · pound · safe · ball · fine · capital · mug · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — a cup
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mug — a face
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — to rob
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ball — a dance
  14. capital — money
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fall — to drop
  24. capital — a city

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