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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — boats
  4. track — a song
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. firm — decided
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bark — to shout
  13. chest — a box
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. firm — a company
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. craft — a skill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. track — a path

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