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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — music
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stem — to come from
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. kid — to tease
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. vault — a safe
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kid — child
  24. bear — to put up with

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