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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. race — a contest
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a dance
  12. field — farmland
  13. race — the arms race
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rock — music
  16. field — a subject
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mate — a friend
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to click
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — clothes
  24. field — for sport

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