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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. clip — a video
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. clip — to cut
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  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