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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. race — humankind
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — a tool
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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