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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: pit · bat · safe · charge · arm · race · cue · lean

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. charge — a price
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lean — thin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. race — a contest
  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