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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. race — a contest
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. vault — a safe
  6. current — happening now
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bore — to drill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. race — humankind
  12. bore — to tire
  13. current — of water
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — the arms race
  24. current — electric

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