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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. race — humankind
  6. present — a gift
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pit — a hole
  9. vault — a safe
  10. board — a committee
  11. race — the arms race
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — to get on
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — the time now
  18. race — a contest
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. present — there
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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