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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — electricity
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — in control
  16. kick — in football
  17. race — humankind
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. race — a contest
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bark — to shout
  24. race — the arms race

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