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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. race — humankind
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. row — a line
  7. last — to go on
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. race — a contest
  11. chip — to eat
  12. last — finally
  13. chip — for betting
  14. object — to protest
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. race — the arms race
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. last — final

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