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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: stem · cap · rash · safe · drill · race · rule · snap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cap — a lid
  5. snap — to click
  6. race — humankind
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. race — a contest
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rule — a law
  15. rash — a series
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rule — government
  24. stem — to come from

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