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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stem — to come from
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ground — crushed
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ground — a position
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — steady
  17. fork — in a road
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. race — humankind
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. race — a contest
  24. ground — the earth

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