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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. shower — rain
  5. tube — the underground
  6. race — a contest
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. race — humankind
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. race — the arms race
  19. tube — a container
  20. rush — hurry
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. vault — a safe

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