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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 116 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: capital · fork · board · safe · mark · stand · staff · content

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. capital — a city
  12. board — a committee
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. capital — money
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. capital — a big letter

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