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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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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: ball · bound · safe · rest · race · stem · stick · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bound — certain
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — a contest
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. race — humankind
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bound — tied together

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