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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bear — the animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. firm — a company
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. can — a tin
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. firm — decided
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. firm — steady
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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