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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. tube — a container
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. branch — a division
  19. stand — to bear
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. vault — a safe
  24. race — the arms race

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