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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. object — to protest
  6. charge — electricity
  7. last — to go on
  8. object — an aim
  9. last — final
  10. object — a thing
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. last — finally
  19. vault — a safe
  20. race — humankind
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. charge — a price
  23. race — a contest
  24. charge — in control

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