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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. track — a path
  5. clip — a video
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. track — to keep track
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. clip — to cut
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a song
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. race — humankind
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. clip — for paper
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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