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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — a practice
  5. squash — to crush
  6. snap — to click
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. vault — a safe
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. drill — army training

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