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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. race — humankind
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. race — a contest
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. band — a music group
  11. bear — the animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. band — a ring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. drill — army training
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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