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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — in control
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. file — a tool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. file — a document
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tear — from crying
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. vault — a safe
  16. tear — from crying
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pound — a weight
  22. tear — to rip
  23. file — a line of people
  24. safe — a strongbox

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