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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fine — all right
  5. race — humankind
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — for money
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fine — high quality
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bank — of a river
  24. race — a contest

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