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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. race — a contest
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. race — humankind
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — the arms race
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stand — to bear
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pass — to spend time

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