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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. file — a document
  9. race — the arms race
  10. current — happening now
  11. vault — a safe
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stand — to bear
  14. race — a contest
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. current — electric
  17. file — a line of people
  18. face — part of the head
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cap — a lid
  24. race — humankind

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