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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. race — humankind
  3. content — the amount
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. content — happy
  13. sharp — clever
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lie — to recline
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — exactly

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