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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — a path
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. race — a contest
  20. track — a song
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. race — humankind
  23. stand — to bear
  24. race — the arms race

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