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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chest — a box
  5. firm — a company
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. firm — steady
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — in control
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. firm — decided
  21. mate — to breed
  22. land — ground
  23. chest — of your body
  24. charge — a price

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