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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: lean · safe · bay · capital · tube · drill · suit · ruler

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tube — a container
  5. drill — a practice
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tube — the underground
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — in cards
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — money
  24. ruler — for measuring

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