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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — a hint
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. land — a country
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. race — a contest
  13. cue — for pool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. race — humankind
  16. land — to come down
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cue — a signal
  19. file — a tool
  20. race — the arms race
  21. file — a document
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — ground
  24. arm — a part of something

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