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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. race — a contest
  3. cap — of ice
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. race — the arms race
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. cap — a hat
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fall — the season
  12. race — humankind
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mark — a trace
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fall — to drop
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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