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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. race — humankind
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — in a race
  14. race — the arms race
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. saw — the tool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. lie — to recline
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — to eat with

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