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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mark — a trace
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stock — shares
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. race — humankind
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — the arms race
  21. roll — a list
  22. stock — goods
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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