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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · vault · board · hide · firm · lie

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — a company
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. board — a committee
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — a safe
  11. board — to get on
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. firm — steady
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. firm — decided
  18. race — humankind

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