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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — humankind
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bass — the fish
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — music
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — a grade
  13. race — the arms race
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — low music
  16. race — a contest
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. swing — in golf
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mark — a trace
  24. swing — to play on

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