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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rule — a law
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. field — for sport
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — government
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wake — a trail
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. field — farmland
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. field — a subject
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. safe — a strongbox

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