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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. tube — a container
  7. kick — in football
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wake — a trail
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — to keep track
  24. safe — out of danger

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