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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. degree — from a university
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — an amount
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pass — a permit
  14. vault — a safe
  15. band — a music group
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rule — government
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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