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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wake — a trail
  12. charge — a price
  13. mate — a partner
  14. race — humankind
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mug — a face
  17. race — a contest
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rule — government
  24. charge — in control

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