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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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. firm — a company
  3. mate — a friend
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — decided
  7. land — to come down
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — a country
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — steady
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chest — of your body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — a box
  24. race — humankind

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