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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. cap — of ice
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. object — an aim
  5. cap — a hat
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cap — a lid
  10. race — a contest
  11. roll — a list
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — an illness
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cold — not warm
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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