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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.

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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cold — not warm
  8. suit — to fit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. last — to go on
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — money
  14. race — a contest
  15. last — final
  16. last — finally
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cold — an illness
  21. capital — a city
  22. suit — in cards
  23. race — humankind
  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