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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. hand — help
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — high quality
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chair — a leader
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — a signal
  13. hand — in cards
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — music
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pop — to visit
  24. safe — out of danger

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