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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. season — in sport
  6. stock — goods
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — for pool
  9. race — humankind
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stock — shares
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cap — of ice
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. race — a contest
  20. season — of the year
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  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