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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. firm — decided
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. firm — steady
  13. rush — hurry
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. race — humankind
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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