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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. race — a contest
  24. mouse — the animal

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