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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — a group
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. craft — boats
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. club — for dancing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. degree — from a university
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. track — a path
  12. degree — temperature
  13. ground — a position
  14. track — a song
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ground — crushed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ground — the earth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. degree — an amount
  23. club — for golf
  24. vault — a safe

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