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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · capital · lean · chair · race · safe

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. lean — to bend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — humankind
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. race — a contest
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. chair — a leader
  16. race — the arms race
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. safe — out of danger

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