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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. press — newspapers
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wound — an injury
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — an injury
  7. capital — a city
  8. race — a contest
  9. wax — to grow
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. race — the arms race
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. vault — a safe
  20. press — a publisher
  21. capital — money
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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