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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wind — moving air
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. vault — a safe
  14. march — music
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — the month
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. degree — from a university
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. march — the month

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