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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tear — to rip
  7. stand — to bear
  8. race — the arms race
  9. tear — from crying
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — a contest
  12. craft — a skill
  13. vault — a safe
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rule — a law

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