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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rock — music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. race — humankind
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — a gift
  8. vault — a safe
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. race — a contest
  22. present — there
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. race — the arms race

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