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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: stick · spring · fine · suit · cold · safe · cell · rock

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cold — an illness
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spring — of water
  10. fine — all right
  11. cell — a phone
  12. spring — the season
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fine — high quality
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cold — not warm
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — a coil
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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