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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. bass — the fish
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spring — the season
  8. toast — bread
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bass — low music
  11. vault — a safe
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. spring — of water
  17. net — in sport
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — after costs
  21. spring — a coil
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. net — for catching
  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