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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rest — what's left
  15. snap — to click
  16. mug — a face
  17. race — a contest
  18. mug — a cup
  19. vault — a safe
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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