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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. stand — to bear
  3. key — the most important part
  4. race — humankind
  5. mate — a partner
  6. plane — a tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — for a lock
  14. race — a contest
  15. court — for sport
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. race — the arms race
  18. key — in music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. court — of law
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. court — of a king
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lash — an eyelash

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