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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — a company
  4. board — to get on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. firm — steady
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. firm — decided
  18. stem — to come from
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — a committee
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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