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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: race · ball · stock · safe · cue · fork · bear · cap

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cap — a hat
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. race — humankind
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stock — goods
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. race — a contest
  17. stock — shares
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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