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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rash — a series
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cold — not warm
  11. season — in sport
  12. cold — an illness
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. season — of the year
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. safe — out of danger

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