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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — humankind
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. race — a contest
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. field — farmland
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wave — of the sea

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