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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: fall · rush · safe · wound · bass · staff · race · ruler

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — low music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. race — a contest
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fall — the season
  16. race — humankind
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — the fish
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wound — an injury

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