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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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Word bank
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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: race · saw · mouse · cap · fine · pitcher · safe · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. race — humankind
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cap — a lid
  5. race — the arms race
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. race — a contest
  15. saw — the tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mouse — the animal

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