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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 120 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: hide · safe · rest · wake · track · fine · race · ruler

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. race — humankind
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. track — to keep track
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. race — the arms race
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fine — a penalty

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