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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fine — all right
  10. kid — child
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. scale — in music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. race — a contest
  16. scale — size or range
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. firm — a company
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. chair — to sit on

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