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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 · nail · stick · fine · vault · pitch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. fine — all right
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. race — a contest
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — high quality
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — on a finger
  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