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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cold — an illness
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pop — music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cold — not warm
  16. fine — all right
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — a price
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. charge — in control

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