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

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wind — moving air
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mark — a grade
  16. swing — in golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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