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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. face — to point toward
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. object — to protest
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — there
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — the time now
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — a gift
  22. object — a thing
  23. face — to confront
  24. object — an aim

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