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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — music
  3. current — of water
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. race — humankind
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. current — happening now
  14. field — farmland
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — government
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. field — a subject
  20. rule — a law
  21. field — for sport
  22. current — electric
  23. vault — a safe
  24. safe — out of danger

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