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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. mine — for digging
  6. march — the month
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. staff — a stick
  17. race — humankind
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. vault — a safe
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. march — the month
  22. race — a contest
  23. march — music
  24. hand — in cards

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