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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. race — humankind
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rush — hurry
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bank — for money
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bank — for money
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rule — a law
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. race — a contest
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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