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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to click
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rule — government
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rule — a law
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. vault — a safe
  24. safe — a strongbox

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