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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. firm — decided
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. chest — a box
  7. firm — steady
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — a friend
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rock — music
  24. safe — out of danger

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