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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bark — to shout
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hand — help
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hand — part of the body
  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