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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 120 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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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 · wake · shower · stand · chair · pitch · ruler · present

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. present — a gift
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — to bear
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. present — there
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. shower — rain
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. shower — to wash
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. present — the time now
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chair — a professorship

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