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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cold — an illness
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — a company
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. vault — a safe
  8. firm — steady
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. track — a path
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. race — humankind
  15. track — a song
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. snap — to click
  22. firm — decided
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cold — not warm

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