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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cap — of ice
  3. track — a song
  4. cap — a lid
  5. scale — size or range
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — in music
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. track — a path
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. club — for golf
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cap — a hat
  17. club — a group
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — to keep track
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. branch — a division
  23. club — for dancing
  24. vault — a safe

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