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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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. dip — a sauce
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. race — humankind
  13. content — the amount
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — a contest
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wake — a trail
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. content — happy
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cue — a signal

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