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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. clip — for paper
  3. fall — to drop
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. clip — a video
  7. rock — music
  8. clip — to cut
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — the season
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rock — a stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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