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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. vault — a safe
  5. race — a contest
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — a trail
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. race — humankind
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. firm — steady
  20. board — to get on
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. board — a committee
  24. rule — government

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