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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: rash · rock · safe · fan · wound · fine · tube · club

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rash — hasty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. club — a group
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rash — a series
  20. wound — an injury
  21. club — for golf
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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