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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · cold · ball · safe · race · firm · rash · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. race — the arms race
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. race — a contest
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rash — a series
  13. track — a path
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. track — a song
  16. scale — in music
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rash — hasty
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — to keep track
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. race — humankind
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cold — an illness

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