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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 120 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 · ground · sharp · race · foot · track · pitcher · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cap — of ice
  7. race — humankind
  8. track — a path
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — a contest
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — a position
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ground — crushed
  19. track — a song
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ground — the earth
  23. track — to keep track
  24. foot — part of the body

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