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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rule — government
  3. race — a contest
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — a skill
  7. game — a match
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — boats
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. race — humankind
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. vault — a safe

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