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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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Word bank
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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: mate · race · deal · fine · vault · current

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. deal — to handle
  3. race — humankind
  4. fine — all right
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — electric
  7. fine — high quality
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. current — happening now
  12. mate — a friend
  13. vault — a safe
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. race — a contest
  16. mate — to breed
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. race — the arms race

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