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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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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: race · fall · bound · safe · scale · ruler · stand · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — to bear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — in music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bound — tied together
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bound — obliged

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