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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — for pool
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — goods
  5. race — the arms race
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stock — shares
  8. season — in sport
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. race — a contest
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spring — of water
  19. season — of the year
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. spring — the season

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