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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. race — a contest
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mate — a partner
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — decided
  12. lean — thin
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mate — a friend
  20. firm — a company
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — humankind

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