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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: cap · pit · ball · roll · safe · face · race · band

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. race — the arms race
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. race — humankind
  6. face — to confront
  7. cap — a lid
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. roll — a cake
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. band — a music group
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — a contest
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cap — of ice
  21. face — to point toward
  22. band — a ring
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a dance

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