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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. race — a contest
  3. rule — a law
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — to bear
  9. game — a match
  10. ball — a great time
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. race — the arms race
  16. toast — bread
  17. rule — government
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. branch — a division
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. race — humankind

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