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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — a group
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. object — to protest
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. current — happening now
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. club — for dancing
  18. object — a thing
  19. vault — a safe
  20. club — for golf
  21. object — an aim
  22. current — electric
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kid — child

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