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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: bay · safe · snap · mark · kick · fork · race · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. race — humankind
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kick — in football
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. race — a contest
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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