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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: safe · content · stand · cap · net · fall · cue · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — of ice
  3. net — for catching
  4. stand — to bear
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. face — to confront
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fall — to drop
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — after costs
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. face — to point toward
  18. content — the amount
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cap — a lid
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fall — the season
  23. net — in sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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