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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. race — humankind
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — a law
  10. chip — for betting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rule — government
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. race — a contest
  17. cue — a hint
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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