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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: prune · deal · race · safe · mouse · court · cap · lie

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. cap — of ice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — a hat
  8. race — the arms race
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. race — humankind
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. court — for sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. race — a contest
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cap — a lid
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lie — to recline
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — an untruth
  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