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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. spell — magic
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spell — letters
  8. object — a thing
  9. staff — employees
  10. race — the arms race
  11. capital — a city
  12. race — humankind
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. object — to protest
  18. capital — money
  19. spell — a short time
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — an aim
  24. wave — with your hand

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