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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. spring — a coil
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cold — not warm
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cold — an illness
  14. spring — the season
  15. charge — a price
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bat — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fine — all right
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. spring — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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