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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — goods
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stock — shares
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — humankind
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — a safe
  15. race — a contest
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lie — to recline
  20. squash — the sport
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. arm — a part of something

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