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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 116 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: swing · hand · pop · fan · vault · race · suit · tube

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. suit — clothes
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pop — soda
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hand — help
  14. tube — a container
  15. suit — to fit
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. race — a contest
  22. pop — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fan — a supporter

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