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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. sharp — clever
  7. race — humankind
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. firm — a company
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cue — a hint
  12. race — a contest
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to click
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. race — the arms race
  19. firm — decided
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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