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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · fall · tube · rock · staff · safe · foot · chair

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. staff — employees
  11. fall — the season
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chair — a leader
  18. tube — a container
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fall — to drop
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rock — music
  24. chair — to sit on

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