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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. race — the arms race
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. race — humankind
  7. tube — a container
  8. race — a contest
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mug — a face
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. vault — a safe
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — thin
  19. mug — to rob
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mug — a cup
  22. tube — the underground
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lean — to bend

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