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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: race · safe · net · hand · mug · leaves · ball · stand

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — a face
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mug — a cup
  13. net — in sport
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. race — the arms race
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — after costs
  21. race — a contest
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stand — to bear
  24. race — humankind

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