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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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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: last · toast · hand · race · stock · safe · charge · scale

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. last — to go on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — in music
  5. stock — goods
  6. hand — help
  7. race — the arms race
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. last — final
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. race — a contest
  15. hand — in cards
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stock — shares
  18. charge — a price
  19. toast — bread
  20. last — finally
  21. charge — in control
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hand — part of the body

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