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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — a position
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cell — in biology
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cell — a phone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. race — humankind
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. race — a contest
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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