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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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Word bank
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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: cap · drill · season · toast · chip · safe · rash · race

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cap — of ice
  8. race — humankind
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. chip — to eat
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. race — the arms race
  16. season — in sport
  17. drill — army training
  18. toast — bread
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rash — a series
  21. race — a contest
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chip — for betting
  24. season — of the year

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