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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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — humankind
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — size or range
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — a path
  19. fine — all right
  20. race — a contest
  21. track — a song
  22. race — the arms race
  23. plane — a tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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