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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. firm — decided
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. ball — a dance
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mine — for digging
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ball — a great time
  21. can — a tin
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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