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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. field — for sport
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wind — moving air
  5. vault — a safe
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. staff — employees
  10. wind — moving air
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — farmland
  15. staff — a stick
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. field — a subject

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