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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — to bend
  4. race — the arms race
  5. press — a publisher
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. press — newspapers
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. race — humankind
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. press — to push
  17. lean — thin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. deal — to handle
  22. race — a contest
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rash — on the skin

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