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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: rush · safe · tube · mug · firm · leaves · stick · face

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. tube — the underground
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. mug — a face
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — a container
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. rush — hurry
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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