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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spring — of water
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spring — a coil
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to bend
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. race — a contest
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ball — a dance
  22. race — humankind
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — out of danger

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