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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. land — ground
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. land — to come down
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. scale — size or range
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — a country
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. craft — boats
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. sharp — with an edge

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