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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — size or range
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. field — for sport
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. scale — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — money
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. capital — a city
  19. rule — government
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. vault — a safe
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. rule — a law

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