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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. toast — bread
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mark — a grade
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. race — the arms race
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chip — for betting
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. race — a contest

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