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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. race — humankind
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — the arms race
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. board — to get on
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — final
  16. board — a committee
  17. swing — music
  18. last — to go on
  19. race — a contest
  20. firm — a company
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. swing — to play on
  24. last — finally

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