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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: safe · straw · stand · pitcher · suit · ruler · bass · wind

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stand — to bear
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bass — low music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — moving air
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. wind — moving air
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. suit — to fit

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