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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. race — humankind
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. race — a contest
  5. craft — a skill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rash — hasty
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rash — a series
  14. mate — to breed
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cabinet — ministers

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