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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. season — in sport
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. race — humankind
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. season — of the year
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chair — a leader

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