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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: safe · can · cell · mine · stand · saw · craft · toast

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mine — for digging
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — boats
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stand — to bear
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — bread
  21. saw — the tool
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. craft — a skill
  24. can — to be able to

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