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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — a path
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. tube — a container
  11. mine — for digging
  12. track — a song
  13. race — a contest
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — the arms race
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — after costs
  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