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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: bore · wake · race · pound · safe · arm · bay · lie

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — to recline
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. wake — a trail
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bore — to tire
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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