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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of law
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — a tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — a price
  9. race — humankind
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. firm — decided
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — a company
  19. court — of a king
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. court — for sport
  23. charge — electricity
  24. firm — steady

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