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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 · straw · snap · safe · mouse · fan · branch · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rush — hurry
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. branch — a division
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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