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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: cabinet · cap · safe · game · file · stand · ruler · race

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. file — a document
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a lid
  11. file — a tool
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. game — wild animals
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. file — a line of people
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ruler — for measuring

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