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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. spring — a coil
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — the season
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fall — to drop
  9. vault — a safe
  10. spring — the season
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. spring — of water
  14. can — to be able to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. can — a tin

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