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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fine — all right
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — a law
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ground — a position
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — government
  11. land — ground
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ground — crushed
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pop — soda
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fine — high quality
  20. land — a country
  21. pop — music
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pop — to visit

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