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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. race — humankind
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. roll — a list
  7. spring — the season
  8. club — for golf
  9. race — the arms race
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. roll — a cake
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. capital — a city
  17. race — a contest
  18. spring — of water
  19. club — a group
  20. spring — a coil
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. club — for dancing
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. capital — a big letter

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