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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — of ice
  10. craft — boats
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. craft — a skill

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