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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rush — hurry
  8. race — a contest
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. vault — a safe
  13. land — to come down
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. race — humankind
  23. land — ground
  24. wake — a trail

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