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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 120 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: leaves · straw · charge · safe · rule · nail · fan · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rule — a law
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — government
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fall — to drop
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — electricity
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. charge — in control
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — a straw man

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