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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pop — music
  3. spring — a coil
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. spring — of water
  6. content — the amount
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. race — the arms race
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. spring — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. content — happy
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. race — a contest
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. face — to confront
  24. pitcher — a jug

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