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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — what's left
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. race — a contest
  18. pit — in a race
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. race — humankind
  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