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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. squash — to crush
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. race — humankind
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a hole
  12. vault — a safe
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. race — a contest
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pit — in a race
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. kick — in football
  24. mark — a trace

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