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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. race — the arms race
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. board — a committee
  12. race — humankind
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. race — a contest
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — a hole
  21. board — to get on
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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