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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. race — the arms race
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — humankind
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pound — a weight
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. race — a contest
  19. rest — a break
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — goods
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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