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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: cue · race · spring · clip · pit · firm · safe · wave

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. race — the arms race
  3. spring — of water
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spring — the season
  7. firm — decided
  8. clip — for paper
  9. race — a contest
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. firm — steady
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. race — humankind
  17. cue — for pool
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — a video
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cue — a hint
  24. firm — a company

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