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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. race — the arms race
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. race — humankind
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. race — a contest
  11. rock — music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rule — a law
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rule — government
  17. present — the time now
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cap — a lid
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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