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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — a contest
  7. net — for catching
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pit — a hole
  11. race — the arms race
  12. object — an aim
  13. net — after costs
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. branch — a division
  19. net — in sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. chair — a leader
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — of a tree

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