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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. roll — a cake
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. race — the arms race
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. track — a path
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. sharp — clever
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. roll — a list
  19. track — to keep track
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. race — a contest
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. safe — out of danger

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