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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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. race — a contest
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — a safe
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a skill
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. drill — a practice
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. drill — the tool
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. craft — boats

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