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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. race — a contest
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mark — a grade
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cell — a phone
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. race — humankind
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. snap — to click
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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