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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: foot · safe · stand · bank · stick · sharp · wake · rash

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rash — a series
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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