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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rule — government
  5. race — the arms race
  6. kid — to tease
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — to trim
  9. race — a contest
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mate — a partner
  13. race — humankind
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rule — a law
  17. kid — child
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mate — a friend
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mate — to breed
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — to fit

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