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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. season — in sport
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — a group
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rock — a stone
  11. race — humankind
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. race — the arms race
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. race — a contest
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chest — a box
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chest — of your body

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