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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — a safe
  7. root — of a word
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — a trace
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. field — a subject
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. field — farmland
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. root — the cause

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