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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. vault — a safe
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. clip — to cut
  11. land — to come down
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. clip — for paper
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. clip — a video
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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