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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. race — humankind
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tube — the underground
  5. kid — child
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rush — hurry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. tube — a container
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. kid — to tease
  23. fall — to drop
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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