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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. board — to get on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — a safe
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. race — the arms race
  11. file — a document
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. race — humankind
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. prune — to trim
  19. race — a contest
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. board — a committee
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. file — a tool
  24. board — a flat piece

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