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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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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: content · fall · chair · row · drill · safe · fine · rush

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fine — high quality
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. row — to paddle
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. row — a line
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. content — happy
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. content — the amount
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — all right
  19. rush — hurry
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fall — the season
  24. fine — a penalty

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