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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: race · pass · fan · drill · staff · squash · bound · safe

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pass — a permit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the sport
  7. race — humankind
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bound — certain
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. race — a contest
  12. staff — employees
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — tied together
  17. drill — the tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. race — the arms race
  22. drill — army training
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bound — obliged

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