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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 124 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. cue — for pool
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cue — a hint
  7. roll — a list
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. clip — a video
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hand — in cards
  12. clip — for paper
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. race — a contest
  16. hand — help
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. root — of a word
  22. cue — a signal
  23. roll — a cake
  24. root — the cause

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