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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: snap · safe · patient · race · deal · tear

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. race — the arms race
  4. deal — to handle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — a contest
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. tear — from crying
  11. snap — to click
  12. tear — from crying
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. tear — to rip

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