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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 120 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. band — a music group
  4. race — humankind
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rock — a stone
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rock — music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. race — a contest
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cap — a hat

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