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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lean — thin
  4. vault — a safe
  5. club — for golf
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. court — of law
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. content — the amount
  15. wake — a trail
  16. lean — to bend
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. content — happy
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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