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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 120 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. present — a gift
  6. vault — a safe
  7. race — a contest
  8. fall — the season
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. wind — moving air
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. suit — clothes
  19. race — humankind
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — there
  23. fall — to drop
  24. present — the time now

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