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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bat — the animal
  3. scale — in music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. race — humankind
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. race — a contest
  9. can — a tin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — to point toward
  12. present — the time now
  13. scale — size or range
  14. present — a gift
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. present — there
  20. wind — moving air
  21. face — to confront
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. race — the arms race
  24. can — a tin

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