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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. race — the arms race
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. current — of water
  5. season — in sport
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. current — electric
  8. season — of the year
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — the animal
  14. race — a contest
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wound — an injury
  23. race — humankind
  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