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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. suit — to fit
  8. vault — a safe
  9. race — the arms race
  10. court — of law
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. race — a contest
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport

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