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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. file — a document
  3. race — a contest
  4. vault — a safe
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wound — an injury
  8. fine — high quality
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. race — the arms race
  18. fine — all right
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wound — an injury
  21. date — the fruit
  22. file — a tool
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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