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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: leaves · fan · fine · safe · game · march · rash · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fall — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. march — the month
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. game — wild animals
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rash — a series
  23. march — music
  24. rash — hasty

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