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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.

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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. vault — a safe
  3. kid — to tease
  4. race — the arms race
  5. board — a committee
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — boats
  11. kid — child
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. season — in sport
  14. race — a contest
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. craft — a skill
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. race — humankind
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — to get on
  22. snap — to click
  23. fall — the season
  24. season — of the year

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