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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.

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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: mine · bear · mug · safe · stock · race · cap · pound

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. race — humankind
  14. stock — goods
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. race — a contest
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mug — a face
  24. safe — a strongbox

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