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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a grade
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. pit — in a race
  13. vault — a safe
  14. capital — a city
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. fall — the season
  23. race — a contest
  24. bank — for money

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