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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — the arms race
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — a contest
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mate — to breed

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