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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. staff — employees
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. race — a contest
  6. march — music
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. staff — employees
  16. march — the month
  17. staff — a stick
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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