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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 116 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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. file — a document
  4. bound — certain
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — a committee
  8. pound — a weight
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. file — a line of people
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. file — a tool
  24. board — to get on

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