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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: stand · lash · safe · leaves · cold · dip · staff · mate

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cold — not warm
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. mate — a partner
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mate — to breed
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — for spectators

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