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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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. saw — past of 'see'
  4. vault — a safe
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. drill — a practice
  11. saw — the tool
  12. degree — from a university
  13. race — humankind
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — temperature
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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