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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stock — shares
  6. race — the arms race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. mug — to rob
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — a face
  18. bass — low music
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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