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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. face — to confront
  4. bound — certain
  5. rule — government
  6. race — a contest
  7. root — the cause
  8. bound — tied together
  9. vault — a safe
  10. root — of a word
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bound — obliged
  14. root — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. swing — to play on
  18. race — the arms race
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. face — to point toward
  21. staff — employees
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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