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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pit — a hole
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. shower — rain
  6. firm — decided
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. firm — steady
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. staff — employees
  13. race — a contest
  14. vault — a safe
  15. firm — a company
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. race — the arms race
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — in a race
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. shower — to wash

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