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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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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: mark · staff · safe · swing · drill · fall · lean · wind

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. staff — employees
  3. lean — thin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wind — moving air
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. fall — the season
  11. wind — moving air
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mark — a trace
  17. swing — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. staff — a stick
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — a grade

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