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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. vault — a safe
  5. tear — to rip
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — army training
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cue — a hint
  19. drill — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. swing — music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. sharp — clever

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