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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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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wound — an injury
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rash — a series
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wind — moving air
  13. race — a contest
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rash — hasty
  17. race — humankind
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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