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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stock — shares
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — humankind
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. race — a contest
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. charge — a price
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — goods
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wind — moving air
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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