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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 124 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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. kid — child
  6. rule — government
  7. march — the month
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. march — music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. staff — employees
  12. march — the month
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. scale — size or range
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — a safe

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