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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rest — a break
  5. chair — a leader
  6. ball — a dance
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. squash — to crush
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. ball — a great time

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