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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. race — the arms race
  3. track — a song
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cap — a hat
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — a lid
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — magic
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — letters
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. track — to keep track
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. race — humankind
  18. suit — to fit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. race — a contest
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lash — an eyelash

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