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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: cold · stand · safe · pitcher · object · cap · ruler · last

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. last — to go on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cold — not warm
  15. object — a thing
  16. cold — an illness
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. last — final
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. last — finally
  23. cap — a hat
  24. safe — a strongbox

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