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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 116 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: land · hand · race · bay · dip · safe · stand · cabinet

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. race — humankind
  7. hand — help
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. race — a contest
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. land — ground
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. land — a country
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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