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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: stand · can · chair · pound · squash · content · safe · drill

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — the amount
  3. squash — to crush
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. squash — the sport
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stand — to bear
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. can — a tin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. content — happy
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pound — a weight

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