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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. race — a contest
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — a position
  8. snap — to click
  9. race — the arms race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. race — humankind
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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