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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. saw — the tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. race — a contest
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. tube — the underground
  11. race — the arms race
  12. cue — a hint
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. tube — a container
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. tube — in a tire

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