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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mark — a grade
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ground — the earth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — a position
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — crushed
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spring — the season
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bat — the animal

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