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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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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: safe · stand · race · mate · cap · staff · rule · fine

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. race — humankind
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rule — a law
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — a contest
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cap — a lid
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mate — a partner
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — government

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