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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: game · mouse · race · perch · ball · hand · toast · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — wild animals
  3. race — a contest
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. game — a match
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. race — humankind
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. perch — the fish

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