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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. game — a match
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. vault — a safe
  9. race — humankind
  10. game — wild animals
  11. race — a contest
  12. cap — of ice
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cap — a hat
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stem — to come from
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. swing — in golf

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