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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bass · nail · ruler · file · field · safe · shower

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — rain
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — low music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — for sport
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — farmland
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. field — a subject

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