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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. race — the arms race
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. race — a contest
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. race — humankind
  22. pass — a permit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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