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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 · face · firm · straw · can · board · suit · vault

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — clothes
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. face — to confront
  7. race — a contest
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — humankind
  15. firm — a company
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. face — to point toward
  18. suit — in cards
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. face — part of the head

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