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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — a contest
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — after costs
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — for catching
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cue — for pool
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cue — a signal
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitcher — a jug

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