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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wound — an injury
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. race — the arms race
  10. swing — music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. race — humankind
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. race — a contest
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. craft — a skill
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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