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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. spring — a coil
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — after costs
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. object — to protest
  10. net — in sport
  11. race — a contest
  12. object — an aim
  13. spring — of water
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — for catching
  17. race — humankind
  18. row — a line
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. race — the arms race
  23. spring — the season
  24. object — a thing

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