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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chest — of your body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chest — a box
  8. race — the arms race
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. last — finally
  11. race — a contest
  12. tear — from crying
  13. chest — of your body
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tear — to rip
  17. last — to go on
  18. race — humankind
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. last — final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — a break
  24. tear — from crying

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