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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: foot · court · safe · suit · season · deal · race · rush

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. suit — clothes
  4. court — for sport
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. court — of law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. race — a contest
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — of the year
  12. court — of a king
  13. season — in sport
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rush — hurry
  22. suit — to fit
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. suit — in cards

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