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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. race — humankind
  6. capital — money
  7. pit — a hole
  8. race — a contest
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. present — there
  11. mug — to rob
  12. race — the arms race
  13. capital — a city
  14. present — a gift
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. present — the time now
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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