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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tear — to rip
  5. rule — a law
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — in sport
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. season — of the year
  11. tear — from crying
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rule — government
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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