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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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — child
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. race — humankind
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mug — a face
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. kid — to tease
  18. mug — a cup
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. race — a contest
  23. wake — a trail
  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