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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. clip — to cut
  3. race — the arms race
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. firm — steady
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. race — humankind
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — a safe
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. clip — a video
  22. firm — decided
  23. clip — for paper
  24. race — a contest

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