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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. net — for catching
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — a weight
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. object — a thing
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — a safe
  12. net — after costs
  13. spell — a short time
  14. object — an aim
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. object — to protest
  19. wind — moving air
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. net — in sport
  22. wind — moving air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — letters

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