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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. fall — the season
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. root — of a word
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wind — moving air
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wake — a trail

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