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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. roll — a cake
  6. race — a contest
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — the arms race
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. roll — a list
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. vault — a safe
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. can — to be able to

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