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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — a thing
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a tool
  6. hand — in cards
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. race — a contest
  16. file — a line of people
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. object — an aim
  19. race — the arms race
  20. hand — help
  21. file — a document
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to bend

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