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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fine — high quality
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. fine — all right
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — to come from
  15. lean — thin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. race — a contest
  21. cell — a phone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stem — of a plant

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