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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — soda
  4. content — the amount
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. vault — a safe
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pop — to visit

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