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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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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — for catching
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. net — in sport
  7. race — a contest
  8. band — a music group
  9. toast — bread
  10. vault — a safe
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. race — the arms race
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. band — a ring
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. branch — a division
  21. net — after costs
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bowl — to roll

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