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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 124 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. content — the amount
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. race — a contest
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. content — happy
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bound — tied together
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bound — obliged
  21. vault — a safe
  22. club — for golf
  23. bound — certain
  24. club — a group

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