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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: fan · mate · mark · suit · stand · sharp · wound · safe

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stand — to bear
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. suit — clothes

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