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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: cell · vault · rash · date · wave · race

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. date — the fruit
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cell — a phone
  5. race — a contest
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — a series
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. race — humankind
  18. date — on the calendar

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