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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: fan · tear · safe · race · rash · current · rush · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — happening now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — a company
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. race — a contest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. race — humankind
  16. firm — decided
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rush — hurry
  20. current — of water
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. current — electric
  24. 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