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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. roll — a list
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. race — humankind
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rest — a break
  21. pit — a hole
  22. race — a contest
  23. roll — a cake
  24. safe — out of danger

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