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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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Word bank
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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. rash — a series
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. spring — of water
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cap — of ice
  14. spring — the season
  15. race — a contest
  16. pass — a permit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — humankind
  21. pound — a weight
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spring — a coil
  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