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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: last · race · cue · safe · straw · present · board · lie

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. race — humankind
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — there
  6. last — finally
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. cue — for pool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — the time now
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — a gift
  22. cue — a hint
  23. race — a contest
  24. board — to get on

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