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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: jam · bay · march · fall · rock · clip · stand · safe

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. march — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rock — music
  11. fall — to drop
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. clip — a video
  14. march — the month
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. jam — a tight spot

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